# thirds

/ˈθɝdz/ (US) · /θˈɜːdz/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/thirds
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. fractional parts

noun · CEFR A2

two or more of the three equal parts that make up a whole.

For teachers: the plural form of the fractional unit representing one of three equal parts of a whole.

- He cut the large pizza into thirds so that each of the three children had an equal piece.
- The committee divided the annual budget into thirds, allocating specific portions to research, infrastructure, and administrative overheads.

### 2. extra food

noun · CEFR B1 · Informal

a third serving or helping of food or drink.

For teachers: a third portion or helping of food or beverage provided to a single person.

- The cake was so delicious that I actually went back for thirds.
- Despite having already finished two generous plates, the guest jokingly asked if the host would permit him to have thirds of the dessert.

### 3. university grade

noun · CEFR C1 · British English

the lowest passing grade for a degree at a British university.

For teachers: third-class honours degrees, representing the lowest passing tier of undergraduate classification in the British higher education system.

- He was disappointed to get a third, but he was glad to finally graduate.
- While many top-tier firms only recruit graduates with firsts or upper-seconds, some smaller companies are willing to interview candidates with thirds if they have relevant experience.

### 4. legal inheritance

noun · CEFR C2 · Archaic · Technical

a historical law where a widow received one-third of her late husband's property.

For teachers: the portion of a deceased husband's estate to which a widow was entitled by law for the duration of her life.

- Under the old laws, the widow was granted her thirds to ensure she had a place to live.
- The legal dispute centered on whether the local statutes regarding thirds applied to the movable property or strictly to the landed estate.

## Examples

- He cut the large pizza into thirds so we could all share.
- The committee decided to divide the annual budget into thirds to cover the spring, summer, and autumn programs.
- The rule of thirds is a common compositional technique in photography where an image is divided into nine equal segments to create more visual interest.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.